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Safety Matters Header image According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), falls from elevation account for the majority of fatalities within the construction industry—with over 300 fatal falls occurring each year.

That’s why having adequate fall protection is crucial when working from height. OSHA standards require some form of fall protection (e.g., guardrails, safety nets or fall arrest systems) to be in place at construction sites with vertical drops of 6 feet or more—except for certain tasks, such as scaffolding, in which vertical drops must exceed 10 feet before protection is needed. The type of fall protection necessary depends on several site features and the nature of work being performed.

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On March 12, 2021, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) launched a national emphasis program (NEP) for COVID-19.

OSHA establishes NEPs when it identifies a need to focus its resources to address particular hazards and high-hazard industries. This NEP will remain in effect for one year or until OSHA amends or cancels the program.

COVID-19 NEP

Prior OSHA guidance primarily addressed mitigating and limiting the spread of COVID-19. This NEP prioritizes the use of OSHA resources to eliminate and control workplace exposure to COVID-19.

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News Brief header Using preliminary data, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recently revealed its top 10 most frequently cited standards in the 2020 fiscal year.

This information is valuable for businesses of all kinds, as it helps them identify common exposures that affect their workforce and gives them the information they need to plan their compliance programs. For 2020, the top 10 most cited standards were as follows:

News Brief header Fatalities caused by falls from elevation continue to be a leading cause of death for construction employees.

In fact, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, falls account for the 30% of fatalities in the construction industry. To raise awareness about falls and to help prevent them, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) created the National Stand-down to Prevent Falls in Construction, which runs May 3-7, 2021.

What Is a Safety Stand-down?